[Day 3] Father and Sons (Titus, Donnel & Balon)

"Indeed. The inspiration of the seven comes without forewarning. You spoke well for yourself too... Letting his deeds speak for him more than your words is a chivalrous way to reflect on his impact."

Ser Donnel sighs: "The only thing to provide a bigger impact is to find out who would harm him. Lord Jon would have deserved to meet his end locking eyes with his foe, and to deny this to him is a sin indeed..."

Then ser Donnel turns around to his son: "How have you found life as a knight thus far? Given the chaos of the last few days, I do not believe we have had a chance to talk about your achievements after I knighted you." Ser Donnel asks his son, eager to learn more.   

Ser Donnel shakes his head: "The weapon of the fearful. Those who pretend to draw conclusions from the weapon are either foolish or apply the death of Lord Jon towards their own end. Note how many speaks from the pew, not waiting for his corpse to grow cold before exploiting his death."

"The killer can be dornish, but can just as well be against the dornish, using the situation to further fan the flames of dornish hatred. The dornish are scum, but they are far from the only scum in this kingdom."

"Ser Harding is a knight of high caliber. You have done well in facing such a tough adversary, I suspect he might have a small edge on you. But facing adversity is the only way to improve."

Ser Donnel nods approvingly as he accesses his nigh on infinite knowledge of tournaments. "I seem to remember that he usually aims his lance at the right side of the abdomen for those he rides against, you would do well to try and use your shield to deflect the impact."

"I hope you have no further intentions than tilting for  this Daena?" The flowers part is left unspoken, but Ser Donnels distaste for bastards is clearly showing.

"I hear that your sister has talked to Shiera about the favor giving, have you heard yet who she gifted it to?" Donnel asks, clearly more lost in womanly favors than which way his sons opponent swings his lance.

Out of the fire and in to the dragon's maw. He wasn't sure how his father would respond to him seeking Lady Leana's favor. Mother had approved, as approving as the woman could be at least, but father's view on bastards was more traditional. At least mother saw the Great in Great Bastards in regards of the Lady Flowers. To be honest Titus didn't know why he had sought the lady's favor, even less why he had been willing to challenge Ser Humphrey for it. She had looked at him at the right time. And he could rid the image of her smile from his thoughts. And her dress and where it was cut, or her bodice and what may lay underneath... He couldn't, but he had tried. Or he had tried to try.

Father clearly did not approve but did not seem as if was in a mood to pursue it. The Remembrance ceremony had turned ugly, politics and personal vendettas had muddled the serenity of the vigil and the Hightowers had demanded justice. The Blackbriars had all volunteered their lances but where his father seemed to act out of propriety, Balon's motives where different; political.


And here his brother was.

Now a days they stood about the same height but as children, Balon had always been bigger than him and Titus couldn't help but still think of him like that. When Balon japes Titus smiles and laughs, trying to defuse or deflect what his brother is doing. He knows it's towards their father as much as between them.

Titus snaps straight, standing in attention as his father disciplines him. His face serious and eyes heavy with shame. The man was right but the scolding felt unfair. But when Ser Donnel spoke, Titus listened.

A quick glance towards his brother. “I understand. Im sorry Father.”

Being disciplined by Father in front of Balon always stung. But what was worse was when Father commended him in front of his older sibling. Father had always been hard on Titus, hard on them both but It was as if somewhere along the way he had given up on Balon and Balon in return had given up on trying to please the man.

Titus envied his brother for his freedom, but pitied him at the same time. And somewhere, in a part of his mind that he rarely wanted to visit, he begrudged him for it.

”Thank you Father.” He answered dutifully , trying to keep his tone as neutral as possible to not worsen the situation or betray his own thoughts.

A crime unheeded can be understood, a warning unheeded can be a crime in itself. Ser Donnel thinks to himself.

Turning to his younger son he tells: "You will present yourself at sunrise for breakfast, bring Vortimer as well, no need to wash, we will have excersise after breakfast to ready you for Ser Humphrey. Go easy on the ale tonight."

Without a further word he leaves, walking towards the Blackbriar camp.

"I know you want to say something," like his brother, Balon watched his father walk away, "Go ahead and say it. It'll stay between us." Balon and Titus had been very close growing up but had drifted apart when Balon left to squire for Fireball. This was an opportunity to close the gap between them.